


The Scent of a Wizard or The Werewolf, the Witch & The Man in the Red Hood

by Bonfoi



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, Community: lupin_snape, Fractured Fairy Tale, Gift Fic, Kink: Scent, M/M, Magical Fairy Tale, chat fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-18
Updated: 2012-12-18
Packaged: 2017-11-21 11:15:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,975
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/597096
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bonfoi/pseuds/Bonfoi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dreaded Bella the Black has a genteel werewolf that won't bite and doesn't guard her land.  Which could be why the mysterious man in red does what he does.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Scent of a Wizard or The Werewolf, the Witch & The Man in the Red Hood

**Author's Note:**

  * For [shadowycat](https://archiveofourown.org/users/shadowycat/gifts).



> **A/N:** Shadowycat was having trouble with a piece of art she was creating and in an effort to make her smile, this little fic came about. The majority of it was written during a visit to Lupin_Snape chat. **FYI:** She was in the midst of creating [The Potions Master and the Not-So-Big-Bad Wolf; A Fractured Fairytale](http://shadowycat.insanejournal.com/137662.html). I recommend everyone go over and peek at the wonderful story and the drawing she created. p.s. She also wrote a fic to go with the art, and it's a hoot, too!
> 
> * * *
> 
> Hey, there, nosy Red Riding Hood, you sure do smell real good...

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**_Disclaimer:_** The world of Harry Potter, its characters and settings are the copyrighted works of J.K. Rowling, Warner Bros., her publishing companies and affiliates. No profit was made from the writing of this story nor was any malice intended in any way, shape or form to the author or the actors/actresses who so brilliantly have brought them to life. 

This author is not responsible for underage readers. Please observe the ratings, warnings, and age of legal consent for your country.

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Turning into a werewolf wasn't all it was cracked up to be. Remus scratched at the new hair pushing through his skin. After twenty years, it was still irritating. He rubbed his back against the rough bark of a tree, moaning at the relief. A twig snapped and he was suddenly aware, suddenly smelling the most wonderful scent....

Walking slowly, carrying a smoking wicker basket was... _Was that a man?_ Remus blinked, growled, and rubbed his front against the tree, seeking another kind of relief.

Being cursed to guard the home of the witch that sent Greyback after him, Remus hated his job, but if he could just get close to that man and smell him properly... 

So many people thought werewolves were mindless killing machines, but due to a quirk of magic, Remus was almost a pussycat, or at least house-broken. He stalked the man through the woods to the wickedest of witches' cottages, the Dreaded Bella the Black. Of course, it wasn’t difficult since the fellow was swathed in brilliant scarlet from the hood on his head to his ankles.

Remus worried his bottom lip with his fangs as the man, who seen in profile was beaky-nosed, which might just mean something else was oversized... Remus shook his head and tried to rein in his bestial instincts. After all, they hadn’t even exchanged names yet...or touched noses...yet.

They traversed the Forbidding Forest of Doom, which in reality was a paradise if you were a blood-thirsty beast, but Remus still marvelled at how easily, and safely, the man in the red-hooded cape moved through the forest. Remus took a deep breath and all he could smell was bravery...and something very, very spicy.

Finally, they were at the edge of the forest, and the man in red was going to step out of the shadows and onto Dreaded Bella’s land. Remus shook as he hid behind a tree and then, suddenly, he was darting out to grab a handful of red cape.

“Don’t do it! Don’t go in there!” he choked out.

The man in red turned his head, his nose cutting through the air before his face came into view. Remus almost fell on his belly at the scathing, demanding, dominant look on that face!

“What do you think you’re doing?” a rich baritone rumbled. Remus saw the lips moving and whined low in his throat. His claws poked through, but didn’t actually tear, the thick red cloak in his transformed hands.

“You...you’re going to be on Dreaded Bella’s land soon. She’s a witch. She cursed me to be her guard werewolf,” Remus babbled. He crept closer, his nose quivering as he took in the man’s pure scent.

“Not much of a guard dog, are you?” The man stepped closer to Remus, his own nostrils flaring as he took in Remus’ own wolfish aroma. “Although...you smell like you’ve been rolling in something not unwholesome. A rarity amongst werewolves.”

“Oh, no. I’m a tutor by trade. Drea—oh, bother, Bella the Bitch, she got angry when I tutored her cousin Regulus and taught him about love and joy and freedom. That didn’t sit well with her and she hunted me down with her mad dog, Greyback.” Remus wound his hand into the cloak. “I don’t bite anyone, whatever she wants. It’s not in my nature.”

“Well, I’m not a tutor. I’m a wizard, a potions master. I’m here for business...but, if you’re as, ah, intriguing without fur, I might consider seeing just how domesticated you really are.” He reached out and cupped Remus’ furry cheek, making the werewolf vibrate with a purr. “Hm, like a cat, eh? Well, just remember not to bite me—my name is Severus, by the way—and I’ll see about taking you home.” Severus turned suddenly, ripping his cloak out of Remus’ hands.

Remus watched the man with the delicious scent—Severus—step from the forest onto Bella’s land, the red cloak seeming to absorb the shadows and obscuring the man hidden within it. Remus whined softly, fear keeping him in the shadows. He wrapped one arm around a tree and watched Severus march directly up to Bella’s cottage door and rap on it smartly. Twice. The man never once looked back over his shoulder, and the wicker basket never stopped smoking.

When the door opened, Bella strutted through it, driving Severus back. Not that it seemed to make any difference to the man in the red cloak; he merely sneered down at her.

“Ah, Bellatrix, you hag. So nice of you to open your own door to me.”

“Severus Snape, as I live and kill. Delighted to see you so...spritely.” 

Severus looked up and down, the very motion insulting. “You have deplorable taste in guardians, by the way.”

“Oh, bother that damned toothy tutor!” Bella snarled. She reached for Severus’ wicker basket, but he raised it up and out of her way.

“Naughty, naughty, Miss Black. Payment first. I’ve had to escape from wild beasts and goody-two-shoes. I deserve my gold this time.” He stared down his nose as the witch hopped from foot to foot.

Remus heard every word. The hairs on the back of his head rose at the same time as a long, drawn-out growl rumbled past his fangs. He scooted from behind his tree, hovering at the forest’s edge.

“You’re a hard man, Severus.” Bella cackled. “I’d like to see how hard, but you won’t play with me. So, I guess I’ll just have to give you gold.” She wriggled and turned and flung herself back into the cottage, yelling through the door at Severus. “Come inside so I can pay you.”

“Bellatrix, I’m in business. That means I’m not a dunderhead. Pay me in the sunlight, where I’ll be able to tell if your gold is false or not.” He brought the smoking wicker basket close and wafted some fumes up to his nose. “Best not take too long, the potion will go off if you’re not quick enough.”

“All right, all right, Severus,” Bella whined as she came through the door, a clinking leather pouch held out in one hand.

“Both hands, Bellatrix, or I drop it here and now.” Severus backed away from the cottage, towards the forest. And Remus.

The witch rolled her eyes and brought out her other hand, showing her wand with a smirk. “Good on you, Severus.” When he didn’t laugh, she huffed and stuck it behind her ear and held out the clinking pouch with both hands. “There! Better? Now, can I please have my damned death-dealing potion?” she demanded.

Grabbing the pouch with his free hand, Severus raised the wicker basket up and let it drop. But not into Bella’s hands. She lunged forward to catch it and Severus took off as if all the hounds of Hell were after him, straight toward Remus.

“Run, you damned fool, run!” Severus shouted. 

His red cloak streamed behind him as his long legs pumped like mad. Remus gave a woof of surprise when the man jumped and tackled him to the ground. Now, if it there hadn’t been a threat of death over his head, Remus might, just might, have noticed how nicely Severus’ body covered his, how enveloping that delicious scent was when it was spiked with adrenalin, but it was, and he was rolling them over, trying to protect Severus.

They stopped rolling as soon as they came up against a fallen tree. Severus looked over Remus’ shoulder, counting down under his breath. “...three, two, one!”

“Oi, Severus!” Bella hollered. “You didn’t hurt me, you big girl’s blouse!” The wicker basket stopped smoking as she pulled her wand from behind her ear. “Avada Ke—” 

**Ba-woom!**

The leaves shook down around the two holding each other. It took a couple of minutes to push them away and roll apart. When they sat up, Severus whipped a wand out and had it trained where Bella had been standing. Well, she was still standing there, in fact, she might still be standing there...but that’s another story.

“What did you do, Severus?” Remus said. He put his hand on Severus’ arm, noticing for the first time it wasn’t furry anymore. “Did you save me?”

Severus just raised one eyebrow and smirked. He rolled to his feet and gave Remus a hand up. The wand never left his other hand.

“That young nobleman you tutored into turning his back on all that rot Purebloods spew...well, he turned out be a very good friend of mine. You should thank Regulus for telling me stories about his wonderful tutor, how handsome and witty he was.” Severus spared a quick glance at Bella’s frozen, green form. “When he mentioned Bella might have cursed you, well, that was just the information I needed to find you.”

“You came looking? For me?” Remus couldn’t believe his good fortune.

Severus tugged him close enough to tuck under one arm. “You should also thank Regulus for being a pervy prat.” Severus chuckled, his scent bright and sharp, even to Remus’ human nose. “He said you had the legs of a thoroughbred.” He looked down at Remus. “I have to say, he was correct.”

Remus blushed, the tips of his ears burning. “I like to walk.” He rolled his eyes at his own inanity. “Ah, I’ve never been saved before. Most definitely not by a man dressed in a red cloak.”

Severus laughed, low in his throat. “And I’ve never met a big, bad werewolf like you. A day of firsts of both of us.” He turned Remus and stared pensively at Bella.

“What do you think we should do with her?” Severus swirled his wand around and a bowl with birdseed appeared on her head. Remus pulled himself away and snapped her petrified wand, swearing to himself that she ground her teeth.

“Ah, a practical werewolf. I am truly blessed.” Severus snapped his fingers and a midnight blue cloak appeared over his arm. “What say we take our new partnership somewhere more convivial?”

Remus nodded and tossed the other half of Bella’s wand over his shoulder, away from her. “Let’s. I’d like smell the world outside this forest once more.”

Severus tucked his wand away and held up the cloak. “Come with me, Remus?” Severus asked softly. “I’ve got many scents you’ve never experienced.”

Remus came closer and Severus whirled the midnight blue cloak over his shoulders, setting both hands on Remus’ upper arms. He took a deep breath, tasting Severus’ scent, rolling the richness over his tongue. “Yes, I’d like that.”

Severus wrapped his arms around Remus. “Good. Hold on tight.” He leaned down and whispered into Remus’ ear, “Now, you may want to revise your opinion about not biting...”

Soon the Forbidding Forest of Doom was alive with birdsong and the chittering of small animals. A snake slid out of its hole under the corner of Dreaded Bella’s cottage and draped itself over her green and slimy boot. Soon, a family of spiders crawled over her wild hair and set-up house in her left ear. Within hours, she was covered in moss and life. If Remus had been there, he might have laughed when a fox marked as part of his territory.

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_~~~ Comments, like rain in the desert, are greatly appreciated.  
Thank you for reading. ~~~_  



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